1. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to composite structural assemblies, and deals more particularly with filling voids in assembled joints.
2. Background
Composite part assemblies sometimes have joints containing voids. In order to maximize the strength and/or rigidity of the assembly, the void must be filled. For example, stiffeners such as stringers or spars may comprise two or more parts that are bonded together along radius edges that form a joint having a radiused V-shaped groove. In order to strengthen the joint, a separate, pre-formed radius filler is placed in the groove and bonded to the parts. The radius filler may comprise an adhesive or prepreg tape or fabric.
Separate fillers can be time consuming and labor intensive to fabricate and install. Fillers used in long stiffener joints may be difficult to handle and are subject to kinking, twisting, wrinkling and/or mislocation during fit-up and installation. Moreover, individually fabricated fillers may be subject to porosity problems, as well as cracking due to thermal stresses produced during thermal curing.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of filling a void in a joint in a composite assembly that may eliminate the need for a separate filler or reduce the size of the filler required to fill the void. There is also a need for a method of filling voids in a joint that reduces porosities and cracking within a joint between composite parts.